19:50 Israeli army identifies soldier killed by rocket as Yosef Fartuk, 18, from Immanuel, an illegal settlement in the northern West Bank district of Salfit. Fartuk is being promoted to the rank of corporal following his death.

19:22 Iran's foreign ministry spokesman says Palestinians should be "equipped" to defend themselves against Israel as it carries out air strikes on Gaza.

Israeli strikes are "organized terrorism," he added.

19:04 Egyptian official says talks between Israelis and Palestinians over a Gaza truce are continuing, but Egyptian mediators are still hopeful a deal can be reached later on Tuesday.

"We are more hopeful today than yesterday," the official who declined to be named, said, adding that they are waiting for the Israeli response.

18:36 A ceasefire deal with Gaza militants has not been finalized and the "ball is still in play", Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev told CNN on Tuesday.

"Until you're there, you're not there," he said.

18:32 President Barack Obama calls Egyptian President Muhammad Mursi to discuss the conflict in Gaza and press for diplomacy to cool the violence.

18:23 Two journalists have died in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City. Mahmoud al-Koumi and Husam Salameh, both working for al-Aqsa TV, were killed in the earlier airstrike on al-Wihda towers in the city.

18:18 Israeli military says a rocket fired from Gaza has hit a building in the central Israeli city of Rishon LeZion.

18:13 Gaza factions and Israel have agreed to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that will come into force at midnight Hamas official Ayman Taha said, speaking to Reuters from Cairo.

"An agreement for calm has been reached. It will be declared at 9.00 p.m. and go into effect at midnight," Taha said.

17:47 Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says during a meeting with Ban Ki-moon that he wants to find a long-term, diplomatic solution to resolve the Gaza crisis, but will not hesitate to escalate its military campaign if needed.

17:39 US blocks UN Security Council statement condemning the escalating conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, saying it "failed to address the root cause" of the escalation, which it considers to be Hamas rockets.

17:15 Hamas sources in Cairo say a ceasefire will be announced later tonight, Al Jazeera says.

16:53 Update: 6 alleged collaborators shot dead in the Gaza Strip. Hamas Aqsa radio quoted security sources as saying that they "possessed hi-tech equipment and filming equipment to take footage of positions."

Gunmen chained the body of one of the alleged collaborators to a motorcycle and dragged it throughout the main streets of Gaza City.

16:28 Two children killed in new Gaza City strike, a man dies in airstrike in Beit Hanoun, Ma'an reporter says.16:20 Israeli military says 5 soldiers wounded by a rocket fired from Gaza.

16:17 Mustafa Barghouti heads a delegation of Palestinian National Initiative officials to Gaza. The delegation visited al-Shifa hospital during the trip.

"The extermination of whole families will not go unquestioned," Barghouti said.

16:16 Three of the six victims in Gaza City airstrike named as Subhi Dughmush, Salah Dughmush and Ahmad Dughmush.

16:15 Hamas executes several people in Gaza accused of collaborating with Israel, reports say.

16:12 Israeli military says it is dropping flyers over Gaza right now warning civilians to stay away from Hamas operatives and facilities.

16:10 Another person is reported to have been killed in recent Gaza City airstrike, bringing death toll to six.

16:03 Israeli army spokeswoman says military vehicle in Golan Heights damaged by fire from Syria. Israeli forces have filed a complaint to the UN.

13:51 Europe's national Olympic committees scrap a congress they were due to hold in the Israeli city of Eilat on Dec. 7-8 due to ongoing violence between Israeli forces and Gaza militants, an Israeli spokeswoman says.

13:25 Clashes reported between Israeli forces and Palestinians during Hebron funeral of Hamdi Mohammad Jawwad Al-Falah, 22, who was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers on Monday.

13:11 Rare audio message by Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas' military, calls on fighters to prepare for Israeli ground invasion.

13:09 Egyptian intelligence source regarding ceasefire: "there is still no breakthrough and Egypt is working to find middle ground."

13:08 In Cairo, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for an immediate ceasefire and says an Israeli ground operation in Gaza would be a "dangerous escalation" that must be avoided.

13:02 Hundreds reported in the streets of Ramallah for the funeral of Rushdi Mahmoud Hassan al-Tamimi, 28, who died on Monday after he was wounded in clashes with Israeli forces in Nabi Saleh over the weekend.

Tamimi was hit by live fire in the stomach and thigh during a Gaza solidarity demonstration.

12:59 Update: Muhammad Badr identified as man killed in airstrike on family home in central Gaza.

12:27 Displaced Palestinians make their way to a UN-run school in Gaza City.

November 20, 2012.(Reuters/Majdi Fathi)

12:15 Israeli military says Hamas fired rockets at a Gaza crossing today, limiting the amount of goods entering. Only 24 out of a scheduled 120 trucks entered the coastal enclave. Crossing is now closed.

12:13 British Minister for the Middle East, Alistar Burt, arrives in Palestine and is set to meet PLO official Saeb Erekat.

"The UK calls on Hamas, who bear principal responsibility for starting this round of violence, to stop the rocket attacks," a statement from the British foreign minister says.

Israel also has "responsibilities" and must "do all it can to de-escalate the situation, to minimize civilian casualties, and to give mediation efforts a chance to succeed."

11:36 Arab League foreign ministers are on their way to Gaza, an official says.

"The foreign ministers of Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Iraq, Sudan, Qatar, Lebanon, (and) Jordan along with the Turkish foreign minister left from Cairo to El-Arish city (near Egypt's border with Gaza) from where they will cross the Egyptian Rafah crossing into Gaza," the Arab League source said.

11:19 Update: Attacker at US embassy in Tel Aviv stabbed a guard, armed with knife and axe. Guard opened fire during incident and attacker was arrested, Israeli police say.

11:10 Man who died of wounds in Egypt is identified as Ahmad Daghmash, who was injured in an airstrike on Tal al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza City.

10:48 Two killed in airstrikes on north Gaza, named as Yahya Mohammad Awad, 15, and Bilal al-Barawi, 20.

Another Palestinian dies of his wounds in Egyptian hospital.

10:42 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leaves an Asia summit headed for Israel to meet Netanyahu, opening a round of talks with Middle East leaders on the Gaza crisis, a senior administration official says.

10:16 Hamas' and PFLP's brigades say they fired rockets at Israeli city Beersheba this morning.

10:10 Ban Ki-moon says in Cairo that he will "urge the Israeli leadership to end the violence," when he visits later today.

10:00 White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes reiterates US position. Hamas must end rocket attacks into Israel and Egypt can be a partner in helping to resolve the conflict, he says.

09:50 The victims of the last airstrikes are identified. Mohammad Rezeq al-Zahar was killed in al-Mughraqa and his son wounded, medics say.

Yahya Marouf was killed in the Beit Lahiya strike.

09:38 White House says Clinton's first stop will be Israel for talks with Netanyahu, will meet Palestinian Authority leaders in Ramallah but not with Hamas officials.

09:34 In Cairo, UN Secretary-General says an Israeli ground operation in Gaza would be a "dangerous escalation."

09:32 Two Palestinians killed in airstrikes on Beit Lahiya, al-Mughraqa.

09:06 US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to fly to Israel on Tuesday and will meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, an Israeli source says.

08:49 Israeli media: Rocket hit a house in Beersheba, damage but no injuries.

01:34 In a new release, the Committee to Protect Journalists urges Israel to immediately halt airstrikes targeting news media offices in Gaza:

"Israel should respect its obligations under international law and immediately halt its attacks against news media offices," says CPJ's Sherif Mansour. "Authorities know these buildings are home to numerous news organizations whose employees are civilians protected by international law."

01:28 Israeli strike on Abu Khadra government compound in Gaza City.

01:20 Casualties arriving at Shifa Hospital after bombing of Islamic National Bank.

01:13 Al-Arabiya reports that Egypt will announce an agreement, guaranteed by President Mohammad Mursi. The Saudi-owned newspaper says the terms include lifting the siege and opening Gaza's crossings.

01:12 Israeli planes bomb the headquarters of the Islamic National Bank in Gaza City.

00:55 Russia accuses the United States of blocking a bid by the UN Security Council to condemn the escalating conflict in the Gaza Strip and says other council members are filibustering the issue.

00:47 Three missiles hit the house of Qassam leader Raed al-Athar in Rafah, Ma'an reporter says.

00:33 Extremely dark humor at The Onion today.

00:20 The Israeli military warns residents of the Gaza Strip not to leave their homes or they will be targeted.

00:05 Al-Qassam Brigades: "Today we shelled Israeli targets with 107 projectiles, total number hit 1200 since #Israel's offensive on #Gaza".

00:02 Clashes are ongoing in Hebron after Israeli soldiers shot and killed Hamdi Mohammad Jawwad Al-Falah in the West Bank city late Monday.

00:01 Ma'an reporters in Gaza are preparing for another day of 24-hour coverage under fire. On Monday, TV reporter Ibrahim Qanan was live on air, introducing an interview with a human rights advocate, when an explosion went off behind him.

00:00 Israel's assault on Gaza has entered its seventh day. Follow this live report for minute-by-minute updates of events as they happen. Monday's coverage is here.

Source: The text by Ma'an News Agency, The Photos from the Editor's collection

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